Hemp can help car makers keep off the glass

By Celeste Biever

CAR makers could benefit from a technique which gives hemp-reinforced plastics the strength of fibreglass composites. The new material could replace conventional composites in car parts such as bumpers and body panels.

Hemp fibre has been used for centuries to make clothes, sails and ropes. It has recently attracted the attention of the car industry because it is cheaper than glass fibre. But until now, materials reinforced with hemp tended to be weak and used only for low-strength components such as interior panelling.